Part 11 (1/2)
Jolly Robin said somewhat doubtfully that he hoped Mrs. Robin would accept their plan. And then he dashed Major Monkey's high hopes by remarking, ”Of course, we always fly when we go South.”
The Major's face fell. He looked careworn and unhappy again.
”I don't know how to fly,” he faltered. ”But if you'll fly low, and slowly enough, perhaps I can run through the tree-tops fast enough to keep up with you. I hope it isn't a long trip,” he added somewhat anxiously.
”It's about a thousand miles,” Jolly Robin told him.
XIX
The Major's Scheme
”I never can run a thousand miles through the tree-tops,” Major Monkey told Jolly Robin in a tone of great disappointment. ”I don't see how I can spend the winter in the South; and I certainly don't want to stay here, if it's as cold as you say.” The poor Major looked so glum that Jolly Robin was sorry for him.
”Can't you get a ride?” he asked.
”I could ride a horse, if I had one,” Major Monkey replied.
”That's not a bad idea,” Jolly Robin said. ”But I'm afraid you'd have trouble finding a horse. Farmer Green would scarcely care to spare one of his horses for so long a trip.”
”Well, I could ride a dog,” said Major Monkey. ”There's that dog at the farmhouse--old Spot, as you call him. Surely Farmer Green wouldn't mind if I rode _him_ away, for he's nothing but a nuisance.”
”Why don't you ask Farmer Green?” Jolly Robin suggested.
But Major Monkey shook his head.
”No!” he said. ”No! I don't want to do that yet. Before I speak to Farmer Green I prefer to make sure that old dog Spot is _easy to ride on_.”
Jolly Robin looked puzzled. His mouth fell open. And for a few moments he stared at Major Monkey without saying a word.
[Ill.u.s.tration: The Man Began to Sing a Merry Song]
When he finally spoke, it was to ask Major Monkey how he was going to find out what he wanted to know about old dog Spot.
”There's only one way,” said Major Monkey. ”There's only one way; and that's _to ride him and see_.”
Jolly Robin thought what a bold fellow Major Monkey was. He entirely forgot the Major's flight from the picnic grove. Riding a dog was such a feat as Jolly Robin himself would never, never attempt. And he was sure that if Major Monkey really undertook it there could be no doubt of his bravery.
”How do you know”--Jolly asked the Major timidly--”how do you know that old dog Spot will let you ride him?”
”Don't you worry about that!” Major Monkey cried lightly, as he swaggered along a limb of the apple tree where they were talking.
”Leave that to me.”
And Jolly Robin thought what a stout heart beat beneath Major Monkey's red coat, and how fine it was to be one of his friends.
”I should like to see you when you first ride old Spot,” said Jolly Robin.